Thursday, March 21, 2013

Get to know Ashley Robertson, author of 'Crimson Flames'


Get to know author Ashley Robertson a little bit better today, as she stops by to answer some of our questions.

What was the inspiration for 'Crimson Flames'?

Crimson Flames is the sequel to Crimson Groves and the inspiration was to see Abby’s (the MC) growth into a beautiful, strong, and compassionate leader.

This is the second book in the series. How many more do you anticipate?

I don’t have an answer for this one yet. I don’t see this series going indefinitely like Laurel K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, but I do see more than 3, which was why I couldn’t wrap it up in a trilogy.

The first book, 'Crimson Groves,' was classified as Young Adult. 'Crimson Flames' is New Adult. Why did you make the move up?

The main characters fall into the age range for new adult and since I had struggled immensely with keeping Crimson Groves YA, I decided to let the characters loose a little with the idea of deleting the scenes later, but I loved the content too much to do that. So I upped the rating and it seems a lot of my fans are enjoying the extra steaminess in a couple of the scenes ;-)

What differences, positive or negative, do you find in writing New Adult?

The negative is losing those who are either too young or won’t read anything other than YA. However, by branching into New Adult, I feel it’s a great way to ride the fence so to speak and attract upper high school and college level readers while also enticing adult age groups that typically avoid YA altogether.

What is so appealing about vampires and the paranormal genre?

I’ve been obsessed with all things paranormal since I was a kid. I guess vampires have always been mostly appealing to me because of the sexy bad boy persona that most of them have.

So many books exist within the genre. How do you make yourself stand out?

Such a great question. Approx. one million new books are released every week on Amazon alone, which is an astounding number. Blog tours, book groups, and social networking help a lot. It’s also important to have a unique story that is written well with little to no grammar errors (an editor is an absolute necessity). I also believe it’s a timing thing since no one can predict what the next best seller is going to be. So having your book positioned for those sales is very important.

What other projects do you currently have in the works?

I’m working on my first novella currently titled Death Dealer. It’s a very unique paranormal romance that will be a series.

Will you publish another poetry volume?

Yes, though I have no idea when that will be. But what I do know is that it won’t be with Lulu.com. I’ve had much better luck with CreateSpace.com which is a sister Amazon company.

What is the best writing advice you ever received?

No matter what, just keep writing. Write every day.

How does writing fulfill you?

It’s an outlet to my creative side and helps me quiet the voices in my head that drive me crazy most days.

Would you ever give up real estate to write full time?

I quit real estate three years ago. Now I split my time between taking care of my family and writing. Later this year, I’ll also be launching a health and nutrition blog.

What else would you be willing to share from your bucket list?

I don’t really have a bucket list. I’m not a daredevil type of person so I won’t be jumping out of any planes. There are some places I plan on visiting in the coming years, Barcelona being one of them.

Crimson FlamesCrimson Flames

Half-vampire Abby Tate is determined to learn more about the sorceress powers that were awakened inside her when she was turned into a vampire—making her a whole new hybrid species. There’s a group of rogue vamps banding together and forming a Resistance against the vampire governing body, The Head Council, and Abby’s newly discovered powers are the key to the Council’s victory. Now the Resistance will do anything possible to remove the hybrid threat, and with no other options, Abby is forced to rely on the aid of the Council, yet can she trust the very vampires that hunt for her human lover? And even worse, can she fight the unwelcome attraction that’s growing between her and one of those ancient vampire rulers?



Purchase Crimson Flames on Amazon.

Ashley RobertsonAbout Author Ashley Robertson

Ashley Robertson resides in sunny Orlando, Florida, and loves writing about anything paranormal. She also composes poems and songs, though she learned long ago she doesn't have a singing voice. When she isn't writing you'll find her spending time with family and friends, training in her home gym, traveling and exploring new places, and drinking fine red wines and gourmet coffees from her Nespresso machine.

Follow Ashley Robertson
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Gift bundlet #2
- A signed paperback
- Matching custom bookmark from the bookswag shop
- eye shadow—Stila / Rockin' In Rio Travel Palette
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